as valued for
probate at L4,000 guineas."

"Four thousand guineas!" said Elizabeth, "fancy having a thing worth
four thousand guineas hanging on a wall!"

And so they went on, Elizabeth asking questions and Owen answering them
by the help of the catalogue, till, to Beatrice's relief, they came at
length to the end of the pictures. Then they took some tea in the little
sitting room of the master of all this magnificence. Owen, to her great
annoyance, sat opposite to Beatrice, staring at her with all his eyes
while she drank her tea, with Effie sitting in her lap, and Elizabeth,
observing it, bit her lip in jealousy. She had thought it well to bring
her sister here; it would not do to let Mr. Davies think she was keeping
Beatrice out of his way, but his mute idol worship was trying to
her feelings. After tea they went to the top of the tower, and Effie
rejoiced exceedingly in the view, which was very beautiful. Here Owen
got a word with Elizabeth.

"Your sister seems to be put out about something," he said.

"I daresay," she answered carelessly; "Beatrice has an uncertain temper.
I think she wanted to go out shooting with Mr. Bingham this afternoon."

Had Owen been a less religious person he might have sworn; as it was, he
only said, "Mr. Bingham--it is always Mr. Bingham from morning to night!
When is he going away?"

"In another week, I believe. Beatrice will be sorry, I think; she makes
a great companion of him. And now I think that we must be getting home,"
and she went, leaving this poisoned shaft to rankle in his breast.

After they had returned to the vicarage and Beatrice had heard Effie her
prayers and tucked her up in her small white bed, she went down to the
gate to be quiet for a little while before supper. Geoffrey had not yet
come in.

It was a lovely autumn evening; the sea seemed to sleep, and the little
clouds, from which the sunset fires had paled, lay like wreaths of
smoke upon the infinite blue sky. Why had not Mr. Bingham come back,
she wondered; he would scarcely have time to dress. Supposing that an
accident had happened to him. Nonsense! what accident could happen? He
was so big and strong he seemed to defy accidents; and yet had it not
been for her there would be little enough left of his strength to-day.
Ah! she was glad that she had lived to be able to save him from death.
There he came, looming like a giant in the evening mist.

There was a small hand-gate beside the large one on whic